Melting the Ice
by Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Earth
Summary: Runs alongside my previous tale, Precious Metals, but can be read alone. ReixJed - Rei feels that it may be the right time to let someone into her heart, but will Jadeite find her in time to become that someone?


This story runs alongside a previous story of mine, Precious Metals. Precious Metals was a KunzitexMinako fic, whilst this one tells Jadeite and Rei's story. The setting for this story is Crystal Tokyo, one year after Neo Queen Serenity's coronation.   
  
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and characters are copyright 1992 by Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha, TV Asahi, Toei Douga and others.   
  
Melting the Ice

_"If I would ever fall in love…  
…I'm sure I would want all of that person to belong to me.  
I'd make them all mine…   
…but I might ruin them in the process.  
So I'm never going to fall in love."  
_

Rei, in manga vol. 11

"I'll find you, Rei, and this time we'll be together forever, I promise. It's almost time…"

"Time for what?"

"Time for me to see you again…"

Sleepily, Rei rubbed her eyes and opened them, but she did not get out of bed. She lay, staring at the ceiling, trying to recall her dream in full. Since she could first remember, she'd dreamt of him almost every night. At first, he'd scared her, threatened her, and she hadn't understood. But that day, the day she first became Sailor Mars, she finally came face to face with him, and she understood. Her dreams had been revealing her enemy to her; preparing her for what was to come. When she destroyed him, she had hoped that the dreams would stop, but she was so wrong. Still, he haunted her slumber, but this time it was worse, because the cold, vicious character of her nightmares was now her lover, and every night she saw their past. The past was hazy, and there was much she didn't understand, and although each dream was different, always the only words he spoke were _I love you_. Last night, however, had been different - he'd said more, and Rei knew that he'd spoken the truth. Somewhere, somehow, Jadeite had returned, and it wouldn't be long before he found her.

On the other side of Tokyo, a young man looked around the room inquisitively. Where was he? How had he got there? He tried to recall some memory of the place, but all he could think about was the image of a girl, ebony hair and a passionate anger burning in her eyes. With her classic looks, he almost fancied that she was a Heian Princess, transported from an era long past away. Her furious face was imprinted on his mind, and he furrowed his brow, trying to remember. Was he the target of anger? With a sickening feeling, he suddenly felt sure that he was. Rei. Was that her name? Another name came also into his conscious. Sailor Moon. And the he remembered. He remembered everything.

He sat down on the end of the bed, and wept at the memories. He wept as he remembered the Moon Kingdom, and it's Princess, and her four beautiful guardians. Rei, the most beautiful, most desired, most elusive. He'd always admired her. When they became lovers, he could hardly believe that she'd chosen him, Jadeite, then a young general from the Earth, and he swore to never leave her.

But in the end, he broke his oath. How exactly he had let it happen, he never knew. One day that jealous witch, Beryl, had visited him, and under her influence, he'd pledged allegiance to Queen Metalia, ruler of the Dark Kingdom. The Moon Kingdom was defeated, but in the battle, so was he.

However, Serenity was a Queen, and he was given another chance. He was reborn, with no memories of his former existence. If only she had not been reborn to, then the events that ensued may never have occurred. But she was. She found him, and once more he turned to her darkness. And then he found Rei. But there was no tenderness in her eyes when she had destroyed him. No, destroyed was not the right word. In retrospect, she had save him. In that last moment all he saw was hatred.

He was fool. Her flame of love had died, and in its ashes had grown a greater flame. An icy flame, fuelled only by hate. But it was too late for him. His body was gone, and his soul was sealed inside a rock. For a while he had been safe, and from his stony grave he had watched over his former master Endymion. But the rock was taken and lost, and he remembered no more. Until now. Until this day when he had opened his eyes to discover that his body was restored and his memories returned. He had another chance, and this time he would not throw it away.

A year passed, and not once had Rei dreamed of him. She began to think that they had just been her imagination preying upon the shadows in her mind. Perhaps Jadeite truly was lost to her, and she should give up her hope of ever finding him again. It was funny; the last time she had dreamt of him had been the night before Serenity's coronation. Perhaps now that Tokyo was peaceful, it was time to move on, time to settle down. Perhaps she would finally meet someone capable of melting the ice that had so long protected her heart.

When she had been young, she'd sworn never to fall in love. It was fear, she knew. Not for herself, but fear for the man she may love.


End file.
